Fan module

ABSTRACT

A fan module suitable for an electronic apparatus is provided. The fan module includes a bottom plate, a top cover. a sidewall, a heat-dissipating fan and a housing. The sidewall is assembled between the top cover and the bottom plate. The sidewall, the top cover and the bottom plate together form an accommodating space. The heat-dissipating fan is disposed on the bottom plate and located in the accommodating space. The housing is stacked on the top cover.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the priority benefits of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/489,672, filed on May 24, 2011. The entirety of the above-mentioned patent applications is hereby incorporated by reference herein and made a part of this specification.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention generally relates to a fan module, and more particularly, to a fan module suitable for an electronic apparatus.

2. Description of Related Art

In order to meet the requirements of high speed, high performance, light-weight, small-size and low-profile of current electronic products, various portable electronic products have become the main stream in the market. As far as a notebook computer is concerned, because the notebook computer has only a limited space for receiving a heat dissipating system, how to enhance the heat dissipating efficiency in the limited space has become one of the research focuses in the electronics industry.

In general, a notebook computer is normally equipped with a fan module to dissipate heat on the heat-generating components inside a notebook computer. To reduce the weight and the thickness of the integrated structure, the top cover and the bottom plate for the fan module to accommodate the heat-dissipating fan have thinner thicknesses by design, and the distance between the heat-dissipating fan and the top cover and the distances between the top cover and other structure parts inside the notebook computer are also smaller by design. Such design can be, in particular, suitable for an ultra-thin type notebook computer where light-thin-portable features are dominated design consideration.

However, a thinner top cover has accordingly a lower structure strength. When the distance between the heat-dissipating fan and the top cover and the distances between the top cover and other structure parts inside the notebook computer are smaller, the top cover is easily deformed by the pressing of the above-mentioned structure parts so that the normal operation of the fan module is affected by the pressing of the top cover on the heat-dissipating fan.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the invention is directed to a fan module with better structure strength.

The invention provides a fan module suitable for an electronic apparatus. The fan module includes a bottom plate, a top cover. a sidewall, a heat-dissipating fan and a housing. The sidewall is assembled between the top cover and the bottom plate, in which the sidewall, the top cover and the bottom plate together form an accommodating space. The heat-dissipating fan is disposed on the bottom plate and located in the accommodating space. The housing is stacked on the top cover.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the above-mentioned housing and sidewall are integrally formed.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the above-mentioned housing covers a first portion of the top cover and exposes a second portion of the top cover, a structure part of the electronic apparatus contacts the housing, the structure part and the second portion have a gap therebetween to form an inlet and the inlet is communicated with the accommodating space.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the above-mentioned top cover has an opening, the opening exposes the accommodating space and the inlet is communicated with the accommodating space through the opening.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the above-mentioned housing and bottom plate have an interval therebetween to form an outlet and the outlet is communicated with the accommodating space.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the above-mentioned fan module further includes a supporting pillar, in which the supporting pillar is located at the outlet and supported between the bottom plate and the housing.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the above-mentioned housing has an extension portion, the extension portion is connected to an edge of the housing and the supporting pillar is supported between the bottom plate and the extension portion.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the above-mentioned housing and supporting pillar are integrally formed.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the materials of the above-mentioned top cover and bottom plate are metal.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the material of the above-mentioned housing is plastic.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the above-mentioned top cover and housing are integrally formed.

The invention also provides a fan module suitable for an electronic apparatus and the fan module includes a bottom plate, a top cover, a sidewall and a heat-dissipating fan. The thickness of a first portion of the top cover is greater than the thickness of a second portion of the top cover. The sidewall is assembled between the top cover and the bottom plate, in which the sidewall, the top cover and the bottom plate together form an accommodating space. The heat-dissipating fan is disposed on the bottom plate and located in the accommodating space.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the above-mentioned top cover and sidewall are integrally formed.

In an embodiment of the present invention, a structure part of the above-mentioned electronic apparatus contacts the first portion, the structure part and the second portion have a gap therebetween to form an inlet and the inlet is communicated with the accommodating space.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the above-mentioned top cover has an opening, the opening exposes the accommodating space and the inlet is communicated with the accommodating space through the opening.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the above-mentioned top cover and bottom plate have an interval therebetween to form an outlet and the outlet is communicated with the accommodating space.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the above-mentioned fan module further includes a supporting pillar, in which the supporting pillar is located at the outlet and supported between the bottom plate and the top cover.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the above-mentioned top cover and supporting pillar are integrally formed.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the materials of the above-mentioned top cover and bottom plate are metal.

Based on the description above, in the fan module of the invention, the housing stacked on the top cover can improve the whole structure strength, so that when the top cover is pressed, the top cover is unlikely deformed. In this way, the heat-dissipating fan is prevented from being pressed by the top cover to maintain the normal operation of the fan module.

Other objectives, features and advantages of the present invention will be further understood from the further technological features disclosed by the embodiments of the present invention wherein there are shown and described preferred embodiments of this invention, simply by way of illustration of modes best suited to carry out the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic three-dimensional diagram of a fan module according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded diagram of the fan module of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a partial side-view diagram for the fan module of FIG. 1 used in an electronic apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a schematic three-dimensional diagram of a fan module according to another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 is an exploded diagram of the fan module of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a partial side-view diagram for the fan module of FIG. 4 used in an electronic apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 is a schematic three-dimensional diagram of a fan module according to an embodiment of the invention and FIG. 2 is an exploded diagram of the fan module of FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 1, a fan module 100 of the embodiment includes a bottom plate 110, a top cover 120, a sidewall 130, a heat-dissipating fan 140 and a housing 150. The sidewall 130 is assembled between the top cover 120 and the bottom plate 110, and the sidewall 130, the top cover 120 and the bottom plate 110 together form an accommodating space 160. The heat-dissipating fan 140 is disposed on the bottom plate 110 and located in the accommodating space 160. The housing 150 is stacked on the top cover 120, and the top cover 120 is located between the housing 150 and the bottom plate 110, in which the housing 150 and the top cover 120 can be assembled together through adhering, fastening or coating-injection. In other embodiments, the housing 150 can be assembled at the top cover 120 through other processes, which the invention is not limited to.

Under the above-mentioned layout, the housing 150 stacked on the top cover 120 can improve the entire structure strength so that the top cover 120 is unlikely to deform under pressing force. In this way, the design can prevent the heat-dissipating fan 140 from being pressed by the top cover 120 to maintain the normal operation of the fan module 100.

The fan module 100 of the embodiment is used, for example, in a notebook computer to dissipate heat on the heat-generating components inside a notebook computer. In other embodiments, the fan module 100 can be used in other kinds of electronic apparatus, which the invention is not limited to.

FIG. 3 is a partial side-view diagram for the fan module of FIG. 1 used in an electronic apparatus. For description simplicity, in FIG. 3, only a structure part 50 of the electronic apparatus is shown. The structure part 50 is, for example, a casing or a component adjacent to the fan module 100 inside an electronic apparatus, which the invention is not limited to. Referring to FIGS. 1-3, in the embodiment, the housing 150 covers a first portion 122 of the top cover 120 and exposes a second portion 124 of the top cover 120, and the top cover 120 has an opening 126 to expose the accommodating space 160. The structure part 50 contacts the housing 150, the structure part 50 and the second portion 124 have a gap therebetween to form an inlet 170, and the inlet 170 is communicated with the accommodating space 160 through the opening 126. In addition, as shown by FIG. 1, the housing 150 and the bottom plate 110 have an interval therebetween to form an outlet 180 and the outlet 180 is communicated with the accommodating space 160. In this way, when the fan module 100 is running, the cooling air-current can enter the fan module 100 through the inlet 170 and can be expelled from the fan module 100 through the outlet 180 to make the cooling easier.

In a slim electronic apparatus, the fan module 100 and the structure part 50 are disposed very closely. By stacking the housing 150 on the top cover 120, the structure strength of the fan module 100 is enhanced, which limits the possibility of the top cover 120 and the heat-dissipating fan 140 being pressed by the structure part 50 due to the slimming design of the electronic apparatus. In addition, the above-mentioned design that the housing 150 only covers the first portion 122 of the top cover 120 and exposes the second portion 124 of the top cover 120 and that the top cover 120 and the structure part 50 together form the inlet 170 therebetween can prevent the structure part 50 adjacent to the fan module 100 from blocking the flowing of the cooling air-current.

In the embodiment, the fan module 100 further includes a supporting pillar 190. The supporting pillar 190 is located at the outlet 180 and supported between the bottom plate 110 and the housing 150 to further enhance the structure strength of the fan module 100. In more details, the housing 150 of the embodiment has an extension portion 152, the extension portion 152 is connected at an edge of the housing 150 and the supporting pillar 190 is supported between the bottom plate 110 and the extension portion 152.

In the embodiment, the materials of the bottom plate 110 and the top cover 120 are a metallic material with light weight and better structure strength, for example, aluminium or magnesium. The materials of the housing 150, the supporting pillar 190 and the sidewall 130 are, for example, plastic, which enables the housing 150, the supporting pillar 190 and the sidewall 130 to be simultaneously fabricated by injection moulding. In other embodiments, the housing 150, the supporting pillar 190 and the sidewall 130 can be made of other appropriate materials, which the invention is not limited to.

In other embodiments, the top cover 120 can be integrally formed with the housing 150. When the top cover 120 and the housing 150 are integrally formed, the housing 150 can be treated as a portion of the top cover 120, so that the portion of top cover 120 has a larger thickness, which would be explained in following through some figures.

FIG. 4 is a schematic three-dimensional diagram of a fan module according to another embodiment of the invention and FIG. 5 is an exploded diagram of the fan module of FIG. 4. Referring to FIG. 4, a fan module 200 of the embodiment includes a bottom plate 210, a top cover 220, a sidewall 230 and a heat-dissipating fan 240. The thickness of a first portion 222 of the top cover 220 is greater than the thickness of a second portion 224 of the top cover 220. The sidewall 230 is assembled between the top cover 220 and the bottom plate 210, and the sidewall 230, the top cover 220 and the bottom plate 210 together form an accommodating space 260.

Under the above-mentioned layout, the first portion 222 of the top cover 220 is able to improve the entire structure strength so that the top cover 220 is unlikely to deform by pressing force, which can accordingly prevent the heat-dissipating fan 240 from being pressed by the top cover 220 to maintain the normal operation of the fan module 200.

FIG. 6 is a partial side-view diagram for the fan module of FIG. 4 used in an electronic apparatus. For description simplicity, in FIG. 6, only a structure part 50 of the electronic apparatus is shown. The structure part 50 is, for example, a casing or a component adjacent, to the fan module 200 inside an electronic apparatus, which the invention is not limited to. Referring to FIGS. 4-6, in the embodiment, the structure part 50 contacts the first portion 222, the structure part 50 and the second portion 224 have a gap therebetween to form an inlet 270, and the inlet 270 is communicated with the accommodating space 260. In addition, the top cover 220 has an opening 226, in which the opening 226 exposes the accommodating space 260 and the inlet 270 is communicated with the accommodating space 260 through the opening 226. As shown by FIG. 4, the top cover 220 and the bottom plate 210 have an interval therebetween to form an outlet 280 and the outlet 280 is communicated with the accommodating space 260. In this way, when the fan module 200 is running, the cooling air-current can enter the fan module 200 through the inlet 270 and can be expelled from the fan module 200 through the outlet 280 to make the cooling easier.

In a slim electronic apparatus, the positions where the fan module 200 and the structure part 50 are disposed are very close. By increasing the thickness of the top cover 220, the structure strength of the fan module 200 is advanced, and so that the top cover 220 and the heat-dissipating fan 240 will not be pressed by the structure part 50 due to the slimming design of the electronic apparatus. In addition, the above-mentioned design that the thickness of the first portion 222 of the top cover 220 is greater than the thickness of the second portion 224 and there is an inlet 270 between the top cover 220 and the structure part 50 can prevent the structure part 50 adjacent to the fan module 200 from blocking the flowing of the cooling air-current.

In the embodiment, the fan module 200 further includes a supporting pillar 290. The supporting pillar 290 is located at the outlet 280 and supported between the bottom plate 210 and the top cover 220 to further advance the structure strength of the fan module 200.

In the embodiment, the materials of the bottom plate 210 and the top cover 220 are a metallic material with light weight and better structure strength, for example, aluminium or magnesium. In other embodiments, the bottom plate 210 and the top cover 220 can be made of other appropriate materials, which the invention is not limited to. In addition, the supporting pillar 290 and the top cover 220 can be integrally formed.

In summary, in the fan module of the invention, the housing stacked on the top cover can improve the whole structure strength, so that when the top cover is pressed, the top cover is unlikely to deform. In this way, the heat-dissipating fan is prevented from being pressed by the top cover to maintain the normal operation of the fan module. In addition, the invention disposes a supporting pillar at the outlet and supported between the bottom plate and the housing to further advance the structure strength of the fan module.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the structure of the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the present invention cover modifications and variations of this invention provided they fall within the scope of the following claims and their equivalents. 

1. A fan module, suitable for an electronic apparatus and comprising: a bottom plate; a top cover; a sidewall, assembled between the top cover and the bottom plate, wherein the sidewall, the top cover and the bottom plate together form an accommodating space; a heat-dissipating fan, disposed on the bottom plate and located in the accommodating space; and a housing, stacked on the top cover.
 2. The fan module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing and the sidewall are integrally formed.
 3. The fan module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing covers a first portion of the top cover and exposes a second portion of the top cover, a structure part of the electronic apparatus contacts the housing, the structure part and the second portion have a gap therebetween to form an inlet and the inlet is communicated with the accommodating space.
 4. The fan module as claimed in claim 3, wherein the top cover has an opening, the opening exposes the accommodating space and the inlet is communicated with the accommodating space through the opening.
 5. The fan module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing and the bottom plate have an interval therebetween to form an outlet and the outlet is communicated with the accommodating space.
 6. The fan module as claimed in claim 5, further comprising a supporting pillar, wherein the supporting pillar is located at the outlet and supported between the bottom plate and the housing.
 7. The fan module as claimed in claim 6, wherein the housing has an extension portion, the extension portion is connected to an edge of the housing and the supporting pillar is supported between the bottom plate and the extension portion.
 8. The fan module as claimed in claim 6, wherein the housing and the supporting pillar are integrally formed.
 9. The fan module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the materials of the top cover and the bottom plate are metal.
 10. The fan module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the material of the housing is plastic.
 11. The fan module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the top cover and the housing are integrally formed.
 12. A fan module, suitable for an electronic apparatus and comprising: a bottom plate; a top cover, the thickness of a first portion of the top cover is greater than the thickness of a second portion of the top cover; a sidewall, assembled between the top cover and the bottom plate, wherein the sidewall, the top cover and the bottom plate together form an accommodating space; and a heat-dissipating fan, disposed on the bottom plate and located in the accommodating space.
 13. The fan module as claimed in claim 12, wherein the top cover and the sidewall are integrally formed.
 14. The fan module as claimed in claim 12, wherein a structure part of the electronic apparatus contacts the first portion, the structure part and the second portion have a gap therebetween to form an inlet and the inlet is communicated with the accommodating space.
 15. The fan module as claimed in claim 14, wherein the top cover has an opening, the opening exposes the accommodating space and the inlet is communicated with the accommodating space through the opening.
 16. The fan module as claimed in claim 12, wherein the top cover and the bottom plate have an interval therebetween to form an outlet and the outlet is communicated with the accommodating space.
 17. The fan module as claimed in claim 16, further comprising a supporting pillar, wherein the supporting pillar is located at the outlet and supported between the bottom plate and the top cover.
 18. The fan module as claimed in claim 17, wherein the top cover and the supporting pillar are integrally formed.
 19. The fan module as claimed in claim 12, wherein the materials of the top cover and the bottom plate are metal. 